#pragma section-numbers off

This is the chapter of the MemberManual that describes how to use PostgreSQL and MySQL databases on HCoop servers.

[[TableOfContents]]

= MySQL =

== Create an Account ==
Creating a MySQL user account is an easy task with {{{dbtool}}}.  It is available for use when you login to mire.hcoop.net.  

Run the following command:

{{{
dbtool mysql adduser
}}}

You will be asked for a password.  The user created will be the same as your log-in username.

== Create a Database ==
{{{dbtool}}} is also used to create new MySQL databases.  Replace DATABASE with your desired database name:

{{{
dbtool mysql createdb DATABASE
}}}

The database created will be USER_DATABASE (where USER is your username and DATABASE is the name you provided {{{dbtool}}}).

== Delete a Database ==
Delete a database with the following:

{{{
dbtool mysql dropdb DATABASE
}}}

== Changing Your Password ==
If you need to change your MySQL password for security purposes or you have forgotten it, you may do so with this command:

{{{
dbtool mysql passwd
}}}

You will be prompted to input a new password.

== Accessing Databases ==
For web applications, set the MySQL host/server to {{{mysql}}}.  Default ports apply.   Use your HCoop username.  Your password will be required.  Please safeguard it.  Remember that your database is really named USER_DATABASE, where DATABASE is the name you originally gave {{{dbtool}}}. Follow your software package's instructions.

In addition, you can easily use the {{{mysql}}} shell to manipulate or analyze your databases:

{{{
mysql -p -h mysql USER_DATABASE
}}}

For security reasons, you cannot drop a database using the {{{mysql}}} shell.

To learn more about the MySQL shell, review the [http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/ MySQL manual].


= PostgreSQL =

== Create an Account ==
To create a PostgreSQL user account, enter the following command on mire.hcoop.net:

{{{dbtool postgres adduser}}}

You will not be prompted for a password since PostgreSQL utilizes a security model that is quite different from MySQL.  The user created will be the same as your log-in username.

== Create a Database ==
Additionally, {{{dbtool}}} is used to create new Postgres databases.  Replace DATABASE with your desired database name:

{{{
dbtool postgres createdb DATABASE
}}}

The database created will be called USER_DATABASE (where USER is your username and DATABASE is the name you provided {{{dbtool}}}).

== Delete a Database ==
Delete a database with the following command:

{{{
dbtool postgres dropdb DATABASE
}}}

For security reasons, you cannot drop a database using the {{{psql}}} shell.

== Changing Your Password ==
If you need to change your PostgreSQL password for security purposes or you have forgotten it, you may do so with this command:

{{{
dbtool postgres passwd
}}}

You will be prompted to input a new password.

== Accessing Databases ==
For web applications, set the PostgreSQL host/server to {{{postgres}}}. Default ports apply.  Use your HCoop username.  A password is not required.  Remember that your database is really named USER_DATABASE, where DATABASE is the name you originally gave {{{dbtool}}}. Follow your software package's instructions.

It is very easy to access your database using a PostgreSQL shell:

{{{
psql -h postgres USER_DATABASE
}}}

To learn more about the {{{psql}}} shell, take a look at the [http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/interactive/index.html PostgreSQL manual].